Chapter 44: Chapter 44 Showtime

Amanda accidentally stumbled forward, and before Liam could react, she ended up mere inches away from him, her body almost pressing against his.

That was when he noticed it.

The strong scent of alcohol.

It hit him instantly, the overpowering smell clinging to her breath like a heavy fog.

Liam narrowed his eyes.

So that’s why she was acting so weird.

Amanda was drunk.

“How many bottles did you drink?” Liam asked, his hands gripping her shoulders to steady her.

Instead of answering his question, Amanda simply tilted her head slightly, looking up at him through half-lidded eyes.

Then, with a small smirk, she whispered, “Liam… have I ever told you how hot you look?”

Liam arched an eyebrow, unable to stop the amused smirk that tugged at his lips.

“Yeah, yeah, I know,” he said, shaking his head. “You’re drunk and spouting nonsense.”

Amanda pouted slightly, her eyes dazed, but Liam had no intention of letting her stand there and embarrass herself any further.

“Come on, let’s get you to bed.”

Without waiting for her response, he turned her around gently, guiding her towards her room.

Amanda stumbled slightly as she walked, her balance completely off, but Liam kept a firm grip on her wrist, making sure she didn’t fall over.

When they finally reached her bedroom, Liam hit the light switch, illuminating the space with a soft glow.

Amanda’s room was simple yet cozy. The bed was neatly made, a few books were stacked on a nearby nightstand, and a faint vanilla scent lingered in the air.

Liam led her towards the bed, his grip still firm yet careful.

As soon as she reached the edge of the mattress, he gently pushed her down.

The moment her back hit the bed, Amanda let out a deep sigh of satisfaction, her body sinking into the soft mattress.

A small, content smile appeared on her lips.

But before Liam could take a step back, Amanda suddenly grabbed the front of his shirt, yanking him down towards her.

Liam barely had time to react before he found himself inches away from her face, her warm breath fanning against his skin.

His hands immediately shot out, pressing firmly against the bed on either side of her, stopping himself from falling completely into her arms.

Amanda’s eyes were half-lidded, clouded with intoxication, and in the next moment, she whispered, “I want to kiss you so badly.”

Liam stiffened.

He had seen this before.

A drunk person acting purely on impulse, saying and doing things they wouldn’t normally do in their right mind.

And Amanda?

She was completely wasted.

As she leaned in, her lips parting slightly, Liam quickly moved his head back, avoiding her attempt to kiss him.

In one swift movement, he pushed her back down onto the bed, gently but firmly.

Amanda let out a small, disappointed hum but didn’t resist.

Instead, Liam grabbed the pillow next to her and placed it in her arms.

“Here, hug this instead,” he muttered.

Amanda blinked at the pillow for a moment before wrapping her arms around it, burying her face into the soft fabric.

She murmured something incoherent—**words too slurred for Liam to understand—**before her breathing slowed, and within seconds, she was fast asleep.

Liam let out a long exhale, wiping his forehead.

“That was close,” he muttered.

He had no intention of taking advantage of her situation.

No matter what she said or did, he wasn’t going to kiss her while she was drunk.

She wasn’t thinking clearly.

And Liam wasn’t the kind of guy to do that.

Shaking his head, he bent down, carefully removing her shoes and placing them neatly to the side.

With one last glance at her peaceful, sleeping form, he turned around and switched off the bedroom light, plunging the room into darkness.

Then, without another word, he stepped out, closing the door softly behind him.

Descending the stairs, Liam made his way to the living room, his expression shifting as a familiar sense of excitement began to bubble within him.

He dropped onto the couch, stretching his legs out and crossing them casually.

Now, all that was left to do…

Was wait.

Because tonight?

Those bastards were coming to collect their money.

And Liam was more than ready to deal with them.

—

Liam sat on the couch, waiting.

The living room was quiet, except for the occasional sound of Amanda shifting in her sleep upstairs. Thirty minutes had passed, but there was still no knock at the door, no sign of anyone coming.

With a sigh, he leaned forward, grabbing the TV remote from the coffee table. If those loan sharks weren’t going to show up any time soon, he might as well do something to pass the time.

He pressed the power button, and the screen flickered to life.

A sci-fi movie was playing, the kind he always enjoyed. Spaceships zipped across the screen, laser beams cutting through the darkness of space. Liam had always been drawn to these types of movies—stories of adventure, of battles in the unknown, of power beyond human imagination.

He leaned back, sinking into the couch, his attention drifting between the movie and the quietness of the house.

Every now and then, he would get up, walking silently up the stairs to Amanda’s room, peeking inside to make sure she was still asleep. She hadn’t moved much, still curled up on the bed, hugging her pillow tightly.

Satisfied that she was fine, Liam returned to the living room, resuming his movie.

Time ticked by.

Another hour passed.

Then another.

Still, nothing.

His eyelids began to feel heavy.

“Maybe they aren’t coming after all,” he thought, his head resting against the back of the couch.

If that was the case, then he had just wasted his time coming here, when he could have been with Ann, having a much better time.

Liam let out a low grunt, annoyed.

His thoughts blurred as his body relaxed, the sound of the TV fading into the background as sleep crept up on him.

He wasn’t sure how long he had been asleep when—

Knock.

A soft sound, barely audible.

But it was enough to jolt him awake.

His eyes snapped open, his body instantly on high alert.

He sat up, his senses sharpening.

The knock had been light—too light.

It wasn’t the kind of knock someone would make when they were demanding money.

It felt… intentional.

Like someone was trying to be quiet.

Liam didn’t move right away.

Instead, he stayed completely still, listening.

Nothing.

No voices.

No footsteps.

No movement outside the door.

Slowly, he rose to his feet, his body moving on instinct.

He tiptoed toward the door, his muscles tensed, his heartbeat steady but controlled.

Reaching for the doorknob, he gripped it firmly, then—

He yanked the door open.

Fast.

Sudden.

A move meant to catch whoever was outside off guard.

But—

There was no one there.

Liam blinked, his brows furrowing.

The hallway was empty, the dim glow of the streetlights outside casting long shadows on the floor.

His eyes scanned the area, looking for any sign of movement.

Nothing.

He rubbed his eyes a few times.

Maybe it was just his mind playing tricks on him.

Maybe he had imagined it.

But just as he was about to step back inside and close the door—

His body tensed.

A sharp, sudden feeling—a warning from his instincts.

Danger.

Liam’s reflexes kicked in, and he spun around just in time.

A fist was flying toward his face, aimed straight for his head.

But Liam grinned.

Because he caught it.

His fingers wrapped around the attacker’s wrist, stopping the punch mid-air.

His grip tightened, his strength evident as he held the man’s arm in place.

“I was starting to think you guys wouldn’t show up anymore,” he said, his voice calm but laced with amusement.

His eyes met the attacker’s, and a slow, dangerous smirk stretched across his lips.

Finally.

They were here.

And now?

It was Showtime.

****

Very sleepy when writing this so it might not be up to the standard.

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